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The document outlines the challenges facing the BSF sector in South Africa, highlighting the failure of pioneers like AgriProtein and Inseco. It argues against the 'dual thesis' of being both a waste processor and a feed manufacturer, warns against competing as a low-margin protein commodity, and emphasizes the need for feedstock control, energy resilience (specifically solar PV), and early regulatory compliance to avoid stranded assets.

The document outlines the potential for Black Soldier Fly (BSF) agriculture to transition South Africa from a linear to a circular economy by converting organic waste into high-value protein meal, oil, and frass. While the sector faces scaling challenges and investor caution—highlighted by the closure of Inseco in 2024—there are significant opportunities in waste management, pet food, and regenerative agriculture. The brief recommends regulatory reforms to accelerate feed and fertilizer registration and the development of industry standards for substrates.

The document explores the potential of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae as an alternative source of chitin and its derivatives (chitosan and glucosamine), reducing reliance on crustacean aquaculture. It highlights a significant opportunity in South Africa, where approximately 10.3 million tonnes of food waste could potentially yield between 4,258 and 9,036 tonnes of BSF chitin annually, with a theoretical optimistic value of up to $498 million. While the global market for chitin products is projected to grow to $24.9 billion by 2030, the document identifies barriers such as high production costs, lack of industrial-scale extraction expertise in South Africa, and onerous regulatory registration processes. It suggests focusing on niche, high-quality products for biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors and leveraging urban waste streams to strengthen the business case.

The document explores the role of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae in transitioning South Africa from a linear to a circular economy by converting organic waste into high-value protein meal, oil, and frass. It identifies significant opportunities in waste management, livestock and pet food ingredients, and soil security, while highlighting regulatory barriers and the need for updated legislation to support the sector's growth.

WWF advocates for a binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, emphasizing the need for global bans on harmful plastics, mandatory product design requirements for a non-toxic circular economy, aligned financial flows, and flexible decision-making mechanisms to strengthen the treaty over time.

The Global Farm Loss Tool (GFLT), developed by WWF and partners, enables growers to categorize on-farm food loss into marketable, edible/not marketable, and spoiled categories. This data helps growers improve operational efficiency and create new revenue streams, while allowing buyers to track scope 3 emissions and meet food loss commitments. Early applications include reducing apple production waste to 0.6% at Algoma Orchards and developing new 'snacker' products for smaller strawberries in the US supply chain.

Stora Enso, a Finnish company, shifted its business model from paper production to renewable materials in response to declining demand for newsprint. The company focuses on packaging, building solutions, and biomaterials, utilizing strategic partnerships and innovation programs to drive system-wide change in the food and construction sectors. Key initiatives include the 4evergreen Alliance and a partnership with Tetra Pak to expand carton recycling capacity, starting with a facility in Poland in June 2023. Despite these strategic pivots, the company has recently faced financial challenges leading to layoffs and leadership changes.

The document outlines four strategic priorities for South Africa to support its youth: easing economic restrictions to foster entrepreneurship and green jobs, bridging the skills-demand mismatch through 21st-century vocational training, addressing health inequalities and the mental health crisis via mobile and e-health services, and increasing meaningful youth representation in political decision-making processes.

The Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) challenge, a partnership between the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) and Shockwave Foundation, invites proposals for nature-positive agricultural innovations in East Africa. The program aims to transition seed-level ideas into sustainable, funding-ready businesses through a structured process of mentoring, leadership training, and investment brokering. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, start-ups, and academia from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Winners receive tailored support, including up to 24 hours of mentoring over three months, access to a Leadership Academy, and potential next-stage funding for implementation and scaling over 12 months.

The Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) challenge, a partnership between the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) and Munich Re Foundation, seeks innovative agricultural solutions in East Africa. The program targets not-for-profit organizations, including NGOs and academia, to develop scalable, nature-positive initiatives that build resilience for vulnerable populations and protect biodiversity. Selected winners will receive tailored mentoring, leadership training through a Leadership Academy, communications support, and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) assistance. Successful projects that graduate from the program and meet specific criteria will receive next-stage funding for implementation and scaling over a 12-month period. Applications are evaluated based on innovativeness, potential for impact, equity, scalability, viability, team composition, and risk.

The document is a formal statement of opposition to S. 1281, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. The authors argue that the bill would allow mining claimants to permanently occupy federal lands, construct waste dumps, and build infrastructure without the permits or fair market value payments currently required by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). They contend that the bill could be weaponized to block renewable energy projects and would threaten environmental and cultural resources. The coalition suggests that critical mineral needs for the energy transition should instead be met through a circular minerals economy and carefully sited mines with high environmental standards.

A joint letter from multiple environmental and industry organizations argues that the European Commission's draft proposal for the Free Allocation Regulation (FAR) revision ignores previous political agreements by continuing to differentiate between steel production processes. The signatories contend that the current FAR incentivizes carbon-intensive iron ore processing over the use of ferrous scrap, which hinders the EU's circular economy goals and the steel sector's alignment with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement limit. They call for a shift to a product-based approach to free allocation to encourage the substitution of ore with scrap and accelerate the transition to net-zero steelmaking.

The report explores South Africa's energy transition through 2050, emphasizing the need to move beyond 'used futures' and growth-centric economic models. It identifies critical innovations in governance, technology, and social values, while proposing six alternative framings—ranging from ecomodernism to the 'great simplification'—to inform policy. The analysis highlights high-impact uncertainties such as a severe skills shortage for the decarbonized economy and the 'carbon trap' of meeting rising energy demands while reducing emissions. It concludes with four diverse scenarios for 2050 and recommends a shift toward regenerative economies and inclusive multilateralism.

The document analyzes the cassava value web in Colombia, identifying its current uses in food, animal feed, and industrial materials, while highlighting potential for expansion into bioplastics and bioethanol. It maps commercial, financial, and knowledge linkages across four main production nuclei: Cauca, the Atlantic Coast, Orinoquía, and Amazonía. The paper argues that while Colombia is the third largest producer in Latin America, low productivity and limited technification hinder its competitiveness. It recommends developing inclusive supply chains, promoting sustainable agricultural practices to protect biodiversity, and increasing incentives for private sector innovation to transition toward a sustainable bioeconomy.

The Transparent 2023 report details the plastic footprints of nine ReSource Member companies in 2022, noting a total of 5.10 million metric tons of plastic sold to retailers and consumers. While the use of recycled content increased to 12.0% of the aggregate portfolio, the report highlights that 87.9% of plastic remains derived from virgin fossil-based inputs. Progress in eliminating problematic plastics (PS, PVC, and small plastics) has slowed, though they now make up 1.2% of portfolios compared to 3.2% in 2018. The report emphasizes the need for a transition from reuse pilots to scaled deployment and advocates for a legally binding UN global treaty to address the systemic nature of plastic pollution.

The report analyzes the environmental consequences of synthetic fibers in textiles and outlines the need for a transition from a linear "take-make-waste" model to circular systems. It identifies barriers to adopting bio-based and recycled fibers and suggests digital, regulatory, and financial interventions across the supply chain to reduce petrochemical demand.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the Zero Draft of the plastics treaty, arguing for legally binding obligations ('shall' instead of 'should') and a full life cycle approach. CIEL identifies critical gaps in the draft, including the absence of human rights protections, a lack of clear tasks for the governing body, and the need for a production capacity freeze to prevent the lock-in of plastic production. The analysis advocates for global reduction targets for primary plastic polymers, the elimination of chemicals of concern, and the establishment of a global plastic pollution fee to fund implementation, particularly for developing countries, SIDS, and least developed countries.

The EU chemicals sector faces a critical investment window until 2030, requiring over EUR1tn by 2050 to achieve net zero. The document argues that decarbonisation must address scope 3 emissions—which account for 60% to 80% of total emissions—through demand reduction, circularity, and alternative feedstocks. Key policy recommendations include expanding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to include polymers and organic chemicals, implementing Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) for low-carbon hydrogen, and strengthening the EU Taxonomy to better incentivise low-carbon basic chemicals production.

The 'Clean and Productive Village' (VPP) framework aims to advance rural sanitation beyond the elimination of open defecation by integrating risk management (the 'Clean' pillar) and resource recovery (the 'Productive' pillar). In Burkina Faso, the framework focuses on the safe reuse of human excreta, animal waste, organic waste, ash, and greywater to enhance soil fertility and crop yields. Pilot implementations in three villages demonstrated high community interest in recycling nutrients, though perceptions of risk vary between human and animal waste. The report details participatory tools for diagnosis and capacity building, a monitoring system based on specific indicators, and emphasizes the necessity of collaborating with the agricultural sector to ensure the safe and effective application of recovered nutrients.

The document argues that fragmented national approaches to plastic pollution are insufficient and calls for coordinated international trade-related action. It proposes a framework for categorizing single-use plastics based on their environmental impact and technical feasibility of substitution. Key recommendations include developing common guiding criteria for 'problematic' plastics, implementing trade-related control measures such as import/export bans and tariffs, and promoting eco-design and non-plastic substitutes. The brief highlights the roles of the WTO's Dialogue on Plastics Pollution (DPP) and the International Negotiating Committee (INC) for the plastics treaty as primary vehicles for this cooperation, while also suggesting the involvement of the WCO and ISO to improve trade transparency and standards.